Team USA wins sixth straight game at Worlds to wrap up preliminary round

UPDATE: Team USA will play Finland in the quarterfinals on Thursday – puck drops at 10:15 a.m. ET. Television details have yet to be announced.

By @MichaelCaples –

Team USA is storming into the quarterfinals at the Men’s World Championship.

With a 5-3 victory over Russia, the American squad wraps up preliminary-round play with six straight victories.

The impressive stretch gives Team USA the top seed in Group A heading into Thursday’s quarterfinals. The U.S. – led by Red Wings head coach and Sault Ste. Marie native Jeff Blashill – will play the fourth-place team from Group B in the ensuing contest.

Jimmy Howard was between the pipes to record another victory for the Red, White and Blue; the Red Wings’ netminder stopped 16 shots in the win.

Waterford native and Wings forward Dylan Larkin tied the game at 2-2 in the second period with a wrist shot from the slot (see the video below).

Kevin Hayes scored twice, while Anders Lee and Brock Nelson also found the back of the net for Team USA.

It’s the first time since 1990 that the U.S. team has won six straight at Men’s Worlds; they’ll try to set a new country-best in the quarterfinals.

After falling to host country Germany in the tournament-opening contest for Team USA, they have rattled off wins against Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia and now Russia over the course of nine days.